9/08/2017

16,000 yearly abortions in Tunisia, the majority after rape

On average 16,000 abortions are performed per year in
Tunisia, according to a recent study by the National Office for Family and
Population (ONFP), the majority

of which occur after women are raped.

The remainder of the cases are unwanted or unplanned
pregnancies.

The overwhelming majority of cases are married Tunisian
women (80 per cent) whilst 20 per cent of cases are single women.

Four-thousand of the total 16,000 were performed illegally,
some without even a doctor being present.

Unwanted pregnancies occur in the North African country due
to the lack of sex education, mainly for unmarried women, according to Amel
Bouchlaka, a researcher at the health centre of reproduction:

“Forty-two per cent of single mothers did not know that
there was a contraceptive method, 41 per cent of them thought they could not
get pregnant, others said that they did not use contraception due to
embarrassment and fear for their reputation.”

Abortion was legalised in the country in 1973 and is a
procedure mainly done in public or private medical institutions. Previously
women were forced to adopt unorthodox methods such as inserting objects into
their bodies and purposefully injuring themselves to miscarry.